


Born to Die

by Internecine



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 07:30:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6794629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Internecine/pseuds/Internecine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco Malfoy knows that he is destined to die by Harry Potter's hand. What he doesn't expect, is for something more to develop from it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blood on my Name

Harry was sitting in potions class, eyes half open in a sleepless daze, when the first explosion sounded. Snape had been in the process of describing a rather peculiar potion that would either work for or against you depending on your true hearts intent. Meaning, that if you were in the middle of a battle and you were to toss this potion, it could either kill you or kill your opponent. Snape hadn't gotten too far into explaining this little detail, however.

The students sat bored staring into their text books, out the window, at the wall, anywhere that wasn't Snape. Potions class was a requirement, and although it was a lot more fun than regular school, Snape had a way of draining the energy out of a room and replacing the air with boredom and disdain.

"Now, if I were to take rabbit's foot-" Snape stopped mid-sentence as the very foundations of Hogwarts shook, the sound associated with the blast deafening, and directly outside the classroom windows; they rattled and creaked, Harry could have sworn they were about to burst in an epic explosion of glass shards. However, the school kept enchantments to protect it from such calamities rendering the window to its original state for as long as the charms lasted.

Harry's eyes perked open along with the other students. "What in the bloody hell?" Ron scrunched his face up and looked worriedly at Harry. An explosion? These types of things don't happen very often- unless it's Finnigan with a faulty wand.

Snape immediately stopped writing, set his chalk down onto the desk, and calmly walked towards the window, his dark robes swishing with each step his leather clad feet took. Harry cocked his head to the side and began to get out of his seat before Snape whipped his wand out and spelled him back down into his chair. With a huff, Harry crossed his arms and tried to look around Snape's large brooding figure.

The class held their breath as Snape observed the scene before him; in the courtyard stood a dragon, dark brown scales gleaming in the late afternoon sun. Snape bit his lip before sighing, he turned back to the classroom where each student sat anxiously. "Go to your rooms immediately," he announced with an air of urgency as he dug around in his desk for something. A potion, Harry assumed as he stared dazed out the window, unaware of the danger that lurked just outside of his vision.

"Wha-" Harry questioned confused, and stood shakily as Ron pulled him up by his robe's sleeve. The students around them instantaneously stood one after the other as if it was a planned event, and began to gather their things before rushing out of the room in a blur of black cloaks and hushed whispers.

"Not now Harry!" Ron tugged the other boy after him as Snape stormed past them and down the hall, most likely going to meet Dumbledore.

Harry broke from Ron's grasp, running back towards the window to see what had rattled Snape. "Harry!" Ron called after him, exasperated, as he pushed through the throng of panicked students. As soon as they made it to the window, another explosion shook the classroom, rattling the portraits that were equally as confused and engaged in bustling conversation.

"It's a dragon," Harry breathed out in wonderment as the great beast blew another fireball directly at the classroom. Harry grabbed Ron and pulled him down behind the window as the glass finally gave way and exploded above them, breaking the charms that should have protected the building with ease.

"Right, that's lovely and all Harry, but I really do think we should be going now," Ron squeaked tugging at Harry's robes. Harry began to crawl across the floor away from the window, but a sparing glance behind him revealed a platinum blond head of hair emerging from under the awning. Malfoy.

"It was Malfoy!" Harry yelled out with a glint in his eye as the castle shook again. Ron grimaced and looked at the determination that had been set in Harry's eyes before nodding with a sigh. There was nothing more Ron could do in this situation anyways, his wand was broken after all. Let Harry go, he decided, that would solve this.

"Go, I'll get Hermione," Ron nodded once more, grimly.

Harry offered him a grin, "thanks," and with that he sprinted down the very hall Snape had disappeared.

Ron turned in the opposite direction and sighed once more, Harry was always getting himself into these situations. He better hurry, he thought as he quickened his pace.

The halls were almost completely vacant as the students had already made it back to the common rooms. "Bloody potter," he shook his head before sprinting back to the Gryffindor common room to receive Hermione's help.

-

Harry dashed down the corridor, passing by confused portraits.

"Harry?"

"What's going on, boy?"

"Harry! Come back here!"

They all called to him as he passed by. Ignoring them, he turned a harsh left and continued down another barren corridor. Panting as he ran, he came to the double French doors that led out to the courtyard, there, he saw Draco, wand in hand shouting various hexes and curses at the enraged dragon.

"Alarte ascendare!" Draco shouted crisply at the dragon as it spat another ball of fire. The dragon flew up at his words, it's wings spreading momentarily before it hit the ground with a sickening thud. Quickly, it stood once more on all fours and shook it's head, unfazed.

Harry tilted his head, confused. Hadn't Malfoy summoned the dragon himself? If he did, why was he fighting it? And where are the bloody teachers when you needed them? They could catch Malfoy in the act and that would get him expelled for sure.

Harry debated if he should help before clenching his jaw and pushing open one of the doors. He withdrew his wand and circled his way over to where Draco stood, his wand aimed and spitting curses.

Draco caught a shock of Raven hair out of the corner of his eye and risked a glance at the source. "The golden boy," he rolled his eyes. "Of course," he thought. "Harry Potter, coming to save the day."

Without a second glance he spelled potter into a nearby tree, he could handle this himself. After all, he was almost positive it had been Voldemort, who had sent the beast. Perhaps it was a test only meant for him, or maybe it was meant to destroy Hogwarts. Either way, Draco knew it was on him to take the dragon out.

Harry hit the tree, hard. Rubbing his head angrily, he glared at Draco, who turned his head over his shoulder and offered a sly smirk. "Sorry, Potter, didn't see you there."

"Malfoy!" He glowered, pushing himself off of the tree. Draco pretended he hadn't heard Harry, and he continued to hex the dragon, hoping that his assault would wear its magic thin.

Harry grabbed his wand from where it had fallen and rejoined Draco who turned his wand onto the golden boy for the second time that day. "Stay back Potter," he warned before sending his body flying once more.

He landed in the grass a couple yards away, his face heating with anger. What on earth was Malfoy's problem? He was only trying to help. Clenching his jaw, he stood on shaking legs, he stormed forwards his wand already trained onto Malfoy's platinum head.

Draco turned back to Harry a final time, "ARRESTO MOMENTUM!" He glared at Harry as the boy inevitably slowed down. The charm had previously been used by Dumbledore to slow a student from a deadly fall, and now it has taken the liberty to slow Harry's every movement.

Draco smirked just as the dragon swiped down onto him with its mighty paw, large claws poised and ripping through his flesh. Luckily for Draco, it only caught the side of his face leaving one long, deep gash in his porcelain skin.

Gasping, Harry pushed against the charm attempting to get to Draco before it was too late. But, the prick already seemed to have it under his control once again as he turned feverishly on the Dragon, his wand held high and menacing.

Harry fought against the charm anyways, daring Draco to cast another. That is, until the dragon caught sight of him. Its yellow eyes dilated and its nostrils flared as it pushed past Draco and inhaled deeply. The key warning that it was about to hit him with a deadly ball of fire.

"Potter!" Draco yelled, jumping in front of him and taking another hit from the dragon. Blood spurted from his chest as he continued to hex the beast, his words growing weaker by the minute.

"AVIFORS," Draco yelled weakly. The spell turned the dragon into a bluebird. What a strange spell to use, Harry thought momentarily. The bird fluttered about for a moment, let out an alarmed squeak, and flew away from the castle.

Draco fell to his knees, and Harry caught him. The charm having just worn off.

"Damn it Malfoy," he cursed placing the taller boy onto his lap so he could examine his wounds. Draco didn't fight against him, what was the point? He was good as dead at this point.

A large chunk had been taken from his cheek, and an even larger gash spread from his left shoulder to his right hip, the white of his rib-cage peeking out from within.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Harry whispered under his breath as he ripped the boys shirt off to expose his pale chest. It rose and fell rapidly, blood spurting over Harry's hands and onto his robes.

"Don't," Malfoy choked out as Harry placed both hands onto the dying boy's chest. "Just- just let me-" he drew in a ragged breath, "just let me die."

"Are you bloody crazy!" Harry yelled without hesitation. "No way in hell," and with that he whispered a healing incantation under his breath. It was risky for him to try this without a wand, but somewhere along the line he had dropped it.

Both of his large hands were coated in a thick layer of crimson as he continued to chant. Where was Hermione when you needed her? Harry thought angrily as he continued to chant. Hermione wasn't as powerful, but with her wand she could heal anything she set her mind to.

Draco squirmed under his hands and whimpered as his bones cracked back into place and his skin mended together with a repulsive mashing sound. "Shh, you're going to break my concentration," Harry chided the boy as if he wasn't dying in his lap. He felt awful, but Draco had gotten himself into this, the least he could do was hush when Harry asked.

Blood fell from Draco's cheek and stained the grass red as Harry continued to chant. Eventully, the chest wound closed up and Draco could breathe again, much to his displeasure. "Damn you potter," he mumbled under his breath as Harry's hands moved to cup his injured cheek gingerly.

Draco hissed in return, "Careful, you nitwit," he growled as Harry began to chant once more. Why was potter helping him? Was the boy deaf? He was ready to die. Maybe not for the right reasons, but he had accepted the fact that he would either die by Potter's hand, or die fighting for Voldermort's cause. Potter healing him now was both ironic and depressing.

"There," Harry muttered patting Draco's cheek proud of his work. "You're going to have a scar on your face and chest, but there isn't much I could've done about that with what little time we had," Harry apologized, taking note of the silver scar that traced its way down Draco's defined body, and the other that cut across his left cheekbone and connected with the corner of his lush pink lips.

"Why did you do it?" Draco questioned, annoyed. "I was ready to die, you know?" He looked up from Harry's lap and into the boys green eyes.

"Because, I wasn't ready," Harry responded dryly. "Honestly Draco, there are safer ways to kill yourself," he chuckled halfheartedly. He was worried about Draco's mental health, and the fact that he had stayed in Harry's lap for this long.

"Oh shove it, Potter," Draco spat, angrily. Harry sodding potter, ridiculous. Draco ran his hand through his blonde hair that was in dire need of a trim and glared up at Harry again.

"Sorry, sorry," Harry held his hands up in defeat. He wasn't sorry.

The words had barely left Harry's mouth when a hand clamped over his shoulder, firmly. "Potter, Malfoy," Snape glared down at the pair. "Care to explain?" He looked between the two before dragging Draco out of Harry's lap and into a standing position.

This wasn't about to end well.


	2. It Hurts Until It Doesn't

    "I can't believe you got detention for saving the school!" Hermionie raged as she paced back and forth in the mostly empty, Gryffindor common room. Harry winced as her ranting hit high notes he didn't think possible, practically shattering the stained glass windows, and possibly his eardrums. 

Ron, however sat idly by, tossing a chess piece somberly between his hands. Around now he would be napping off his dinner and dreaming of magical food, and perhaps magical girls. But, in this moment he had been imprisoned, Hermione's voice wrapping around him like chains.  Potter had gone and gotten himself in trouble, as predicted, and now the duo had been enlisted to listen to Hermione's ranting once more. 

"And with Draco Malfoy of all people," she continued, aggravated. 

"How on earth did you nitwits manage that?" She stood in front of Harry, both hands placed on her hips, indignantly. Her brown curly hair fell around her shoulders in wisps and flanked the sides of her black robes, seemingly alive with her anger. 

"I just saw him fighting the bloody thing outside, then the git went and cursed me before getting himself hurt," Harry huffed and crossed his arms over his sweater clad chest, the last thing he needed right now was to be interrogated by Hermione Granger. She wasn't there when the incident had occurred, she didn't see Draco's utter recklessness and lack of care for his own life. She didn't understand. 

After Snape had escorted the pair to Dumbledore's office, they were reprimanded harshly and sentenced to detention in the Dark Forrest once they were through with their afternoon classes. The Dark Forrest, something so full of hate and mystery. Harry was excited, Draco was sick to his stomach. Both, for different reasons. 

Dumbledore wasn't as angry as the pair had thought he would be, in fact, he looked rather amused by the situation much to Snape's displeasure. After Snape reamed them out, Dumbledore had said they were to look for a rare plant while they were fumbling about in the dark, and Hagrid even lent them his slobbery companion, Fang, as well as offering to be their guide which Dumbledore was pleased to hear. 

"Ronald Weasley! Don't you have anything to say?" Hermione growled, breaking Harry from his thoughts as he watched her storm over to the cowering ginger and pluck the Queen out of his hand. She had been annoyed with the Harry situation, the least Ron could do was pay attention to her unlike he had the entire day. It always seemed like Ron's mind was elsewhere whenever she was around, and she was getting tired of it. 

"Um," he gulped staring sheepishly into her eyes. "It's- it's really quite awful Harry, having to spend time with that arse," he offered shakily. A glance up to Hermione's face proved that he had calmed the waters, at least for now. At least until Hermione got a hold of him alone. 

"I just want this to be over with," Harry announced, exasperatedly. Glancing down at his watch he sighed before standing up from the plush sofa. 

"Gotta go, don't wait up," he waved his hand dismissively as he left the common room. The sounds of Ron and Hermonie bickering followed him down the hall.   
-  
    "Alright!" Hagrid clapped his hands together and rubbed them feverishly for warmth. The wind outside was blowing softly and rustling the dead leaves off the very trees that had once given them life. It was cold for October, possibly too cold. Surely, a plant such as the one they were looking for couldn't survive such harsh temperatures. Or could it? 

Draco shivered in his Slytherin robes, and glared at the giant in front of him, the scar on his cheek catching the moonlight and throwing shadows across his pale features. Harry took note of the scar and grimaced, it was his fault Malfoy had been hurt. But then again, he wasn't the one who had spelled a companion into a tree. Suddenly, Harry didn't feel nearly as guilty. 

    "What yer lookin' fer, is an oldy. Dumbledore called it the- er, hold on," Hagrid squinted as he began his speech, and rummaged through the pockets of his thick fur coat for a moment. After a few awkward seconds of silence, Hagrid pulled a piece of dirty notebook paper out of his pocket, triumphantly. He held it up in his fist, the balled out paper spilling between his large fingers before he brought it back down to eye level- well his, at any rate. 

    "Ah yes," he looked down, unfolded the paper, and squinted. "Can't read me own writing, I reckon," he sighed and stuffed the paper back into his pocket, sorrowfully. 

    He contemplated on what to say for a moment while scratching his head, "It looks like a Lilly, just find that," he muttered. Harry could tell that Hagrid's handwriting had always bothered him, and he felt bad for it. Perhaps he could teach him something better? Or maybe introduce him to the computer?

    "Not even sure why-" his voice trailed off as he turned and continued to grumble to himself. Harry and Draco exchanged glares before trailing reluctantly behind. Both boys holding their wands tightly at their sides, ready for an attack that could occur at any moment. Either from the forrest's wildlife, or maybe from each other. 

    Harry looked between the giant and his dog and then back to Draco, who gritting his teeth as he sloshed through the thicket of leaves and bushes. They were suppose to be finding a flower, a flower they weren't even sure grew in these parts. 

    Dumbledore has sworn that it did, but who knows? Harry rolled his eyes at the thought. It was completely ludicrous to send two teenagers, a dog that was afraid of its own shadow, and a giant, out to find a flower that may not even exist. 

Absolutely bonkers. 

    According to Dumbledore, it had been extinct for a decade before someone spotted the flower growing alongside a sturdy pine. He refused to tell the mismatched group why exactly, they were looking for it; however, he promised it wouldn't be a difficult task. 

    Harry scoffed, causing Draco to look over and raise an eyebrow, curiously.

    "Scared, Potter?" Draco smirked at the smaller boy, hoping to erect some sort of reaction. The silence between the two had been deafening, Draco couldn't stand it. 

    "You wish," Harry retorted, his lips turning down into a frown. 

    Hagrid was either oblivious to their conversation or he just didn't care enough to chide them. His only mission was to find the flower, not to babysit a couple of punks. What did he care if the two got into a bit of a scuffle, Draco had it coming and Harry would undoubtedly win. 

    Harry and Draco exchanged glares once more before they began their search. Hargid was bent over, hands on his knees, as he scowered the ground with his beedy eyes. He had seen this flower before in drawings, but without knowing if it was real, it had made searching for it all the more hard. 

    Eventually, Draco had fallen a slight ways behind the trio and decided now would be the perfect time to bolt. They had gotten lost in the rhythm of stop, bend over, search, walk. They wouldn't notice his absence for a good ten minutes, he thought. 

With a final glance over his shoulder, he rolled his eyes at Hargids hunched over form, his bum in the air, and the beast of a dog with its nose in the leaves. Ridiculous. 

    Draco had planned to leave sooner, but Potter wouldn't stop watching him. In a way, Draco thought Harry might know what he was going to do; he didn't care. Why should he? Either way, he was a dead man walking. 

    Closing his eyes, Draco inhaled the scent of autumn and began his trek back to the school. He'd already figured out that the flower they were looking for was gone, he'd heard his parents discussing it at many of their meetings. Supposedly, it was to be used in a potion that could harm their opponents or themselves. 

Tricky, Draco thought as he turned this idea around in his head. Apparently it only worked depending on your hearts intent. What use could the death eaters possibly have for this type of thing? 

    Shaking the thoughts out of his head, he continued walking through the dark trees. The silence allowed his mind to wonder, however. And, in that moment of weakness, he allowed the images of impending years to creep their ways under his defenses. 

    He knew he was going to die. It was that simple, his family was the "bad" and Harry Potter was the "good." Draco scoffed at that thought, what was so bad about wanting the wizarding world pure? 

    The thought of death didn't scare him. Not nearly as much as the thought of how it could happen, and when. All his life he knew he was destined to die, and he was tired of it. He was tired of going to school, a defense spell tucked carefully behind his lips. He was tired of being cautions around Potter, tired of living. He was just tired.

    Sighing, Draco glanced at the moon. Close to being full, that meant that the wolves would be out soon. He was snapped out of his thoughts as a stick cracked behind him. 

    "Who's there?" He whipped around, wand poised for an attack. The wind picked up as a slight figure appeared from behind the trees. 

    "Just me," Harry said walking out into the open. Draco grimaced, and unwillingly put his wand down. Best not get caught attempting to off the golden boy, he thought. 

    "What do you want Potter? Come to report me have you?" Draco glared at the boy and took a menacing step forwards. 

    "I don't know Draco, what were you doing?" He inquired taking a step towards the blond, the moon illuminating his too green eyes. Draco sighed and raked his hands through his hair, now he's done it. 

    "Leaving, why? Got a problem?" He snapped. Potter was here, he thought. Potter, the boy who lived. Potter, the boy who was destined to kill him, and the boy he was hopelessly in love with. 

    "You're supposed to be searching for the flower, you know?" Harry cocked his head to the side. His robes were billowing out in the wind and he almost resembled a mythical creature with the way his eyes glowed green in the after light. 

    "I'm well aware," Draco deadpanned, trying to keep his eyes from looking at Potter too closely. 

    "I'm going for Hagrid," Harry turned to go. 

Draco inhaled sharply before deciding his next move. Casting a spell on him would almost definitely leave Draco expelled. Instead, he took three large steps forwards, grabbed Harry by his robes, and as the boy turned around, Draco grasped at his neck and slammed him into the rough bark of an oak. 

    "Now, now Harry, don't be rash. We wouldn't want you to get hurt, now would we?" Draco smirked as Harry clawed uselessly at his hands. The moonlight reflected off of Dracos silver eyes, and in that moment Harry saw more than just hate and distrust. He saw pain. 

Harry immediately dropped his hands to his side and coughed as Dracos grip tightened, something had clicked inside of him. Something suddenly just made more sense to him. 

"Cat got your tongue?" Draco mused, a devilish smile enhanced his features. Draco didn't know what he was doing, not yet at least. 

    Harry shook his head and carefully reached a hand out to touch the scar that marred the pale skin on Dracos face. He flinched away from Harry's hand, but his grip loosened, allowing the boy to breathe. 

"Potter," he warned. His voice wasn't as menacing, more worried than anything at this point. Harry looked into his eyes and tried to find the meaning in what he had seen, but Draco had already dropped him. 

"Draco.." Harry muttered, trying to catch his breath as he sputtered and coughed. But by the time his eyes looked up, Draco was gone.


End file.
